Once a King or Queen in Narnia
by Darklight-phoenix
Summary: Set after the voyage of the Dawn Treader. The Pevensie's life in boarding school after returning from Narnia.
1. Finding Susan

**Note: I do not own any characters in Chronicles of Narnia and all character references belong to C.S Lewis.**

Susan sighed exasperated, "Will you stop going on about visiting magical lands. It is not real. It was just something we made up to pass the time when we were staying in the country."

Something had happened to Susan after her return from Narnia. It was as if everything they did was just a game. She had completely forgotten everything: Aslan, Mr Tumnus, not even her love interest Prince Caspian, their coronation, to them growing up and living in Narnia as adults.

"It is real. You just have to believe," Lucy countered hotly. "Remember Aslan, the lion!"

Susan suddenly had a vision of a great golden lion and its mighty roar; the scent of the ocean of Cair Paravel; centaurs and fawns dancing to wild music. What she had just seen scared her. It seemed so real, as if she had lived it. It was as if someone had zapped an idea into her head. She could barely hear her sisters voice in the background.

"Susan…Susan?! I said we better be going. The after-school dance class is about to begin any minute. You didn't forget, did you? You promised you would come with me."

"Of course not." Susan had forgotten, but she wasn't going to let her sister know. She glanced at the extracurricular activities on the school board, seeing both her name and Lucy's down for dance. Something caught her eye towards the bottom of the page. "Archery...?"

"Sorry, what was that?" Lucy tilted her head at her sister.

"What do you think about archery, do you think I should sign up for," Susan stopped at the expression on Lucy's face. "What's so funny, think I won't succeed?"

"On the contrary, I think you're going to beat those bastards, I mean, the other boys. You will be a natural. I'm all for you joining but first, we have to hurry or we will miss our first dance class." Lucy dragged her sister away with a huge smile on her face.

Her sister may have forgotten about Narnia, but sometimes Susan mentioned things that only Queen Susan of Narnia could have known. Perhaps all her sister needed was just a little nudge.

* * *

"Susan! Over here!" an auburn-haired girl waved at them, as soon as they stepped into the dance studio.

"Margarita! Harriet! Charlotte!" Susan exclaimed, moving towards her group of friends. She had completely forgotten about Lucy and excitedly joined them in conversation on the latest fashion.

Lucy sighed, of course her sister would like to join her friends. When she last left Narnia, Aslan had given her one job: To guide Susan. At the time she did not understand the exact meaning as to his words, but as time passed back in England, it became as clear their Susan was lost. How was she going to help guide her sister?

'Aslan, help me' Lucy thought aloud in her mind.

In that very moment, Susan suddenly remembered her promise to Lucy and attempted to wave her over.

"Uh, Susan...you know, there's talk your sister is a bit weird. Like, you know, crazy. Perhaps she shouldn't join us? Imagine the rumours?" Margarita whispered, but not too softly, for Lucy heard every word.

A flash of hurt flitted across Lucy's face, which was not missed by Susan. She felt a pang of sympathy for her little sister. Sure, Lucy was difficult to deal with, especially with her made-up stories and games which drove her nuts, but she was still her sister.

"That person you're referring to is my sister."

For a split second, she was Queen Susan the Gentle, the overprotective sibling. When she turned her gaze towards the three, they cowered and grew rather ashamed.

"I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. Come, Lucy." Susan said this with her head held high and lead her sister to the other side of the room.

Whispers broke out when their dancing instructor stepped into the studio, tall and in control. He had a certain flair in the way he moved, graceful, yet mysterious. It reminded Lucy of her Narnian dancing water master, who was trained both in the art of battle and dance. He looked regal and sophisticated in his maroon coloured matching vest and tie, and knee-length overcoat. Susan did not want to admit it, but he was extremely handsome, even though he was past his prime.

He surveyed the room and tried to gauge their level of proficiency in dance. With his rich baritone voice, he asked, "Can anyone in here dance?"

Twenty hands raised in response, which was the majority of the class.

"You. What is your name? Will you please show us a demonstration?"

"My name is Harriet, sir." Susan's friend answered in her cocky voice and proceeded to take the centre of the room. She did her best imitation of swing, but her performance was dull and lacked energy.

He nodded at her in all politeness, before he pointed at another female. "And what about you?"

"Olivia, sir, but I only know some basic ballerina dancing." The chestnut-haired girl's performance was decent, but not perfect.

"Anyone else?"

Before anyone could say anything, Lucy's hand shot up in the air.

The professor gestured for her to perform.

When Lucy took centre stage, Susan's three friends had banded together and were attempting to find fault in her performance. A glare from Susan shut them up most effectively, and Lucy could not help but smile gratefully at her sister. Little did they know, Lucy had a natural affinity for dancing. She was not going to show them any weakness. She was a Queen, and she must be strong. She took a deep breath.

_'Focus Lucy. You can do this.'_ she repeated in her mind.

And with that, Lucy danced. It was not just any dance, it was the Narnian Royal Water dance. Swift, graceful and beautiful, yet deadly. The way she moved was unlike anything their teacher had ever seen. She was a natural. There was total silence in the studio, you could have heard a hairpin drop. It was a like they were watching something out of this world, something magical, ethereal even, like a Queen. It was beautiful. The dance felt like a cross between a waltz, ballet, fencing, everything you could think of. Everyone was in a trance, none more than Susan Pevensie, who found herself transported to the throne room of Cair Paravel. Four tall-standing thrones made in marble and chased in gold which represented the eastern sea, western woods, southern sun and northern skies. It was magnificent, more beautiful than any picture she had seen in any magazine or postcard. She found herself stuck in a memory of a memory, glimpses of her and Lucy, and her two brothers dancing with the Narnian Waltz, and the water dance.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"That, my ladies, is how you dance."

The rest of the class was a blur for both Lucy and Susan. When everyone had left, the two sisters found themselves surrounded in a bubble by Susan's friends. It appeared they had changed their mind about her sister.

"Lucy, you were brilliant!" Harriet gushed, although it was obvious that she was a tad jealous.

"Susan, why didn't you tell us your sister was such a great dancer? Margarita asked.

Susan was still in a daze, reeling from her vision that seemed all so real. She shook herself mentally, _'Pull yourself together'_. She forced a tight smile and made up a lame excuse that they had both learnt dance when they were away during the summer. It was a miracle they were too focused on Lucy to notice anything out of the ordinary. It would not do for people to think her crazy.

When Lucy glanced at her sister, she could see a hidden spark hidden within Susan, however small it was, and smiled to herself. Narnia was the key to unlocking Susan's memories. Lucy knew what she had to do.

'_Thank you, Aslan' _she thought.


	2. Home

England's weather was often unpredictable, unlike Narnia. Hot and sunny one day, cloudy and gloomy the next, and of course it's infamous downpours. The locals dreaded the coming winter which was fast approaching and stocked up household essentials, and wool for garments. Despite the odds, the past two weeks had surprisingly good weather. The sun was out and there were blue skies; not one drop of rain, even during the early hours of the morning. It was as if someone had cast a spell over England, decreeing that winter be no more. By the second weekend, families could be seen rushing about with their children dressed for summer, teenagers laughing and rushing to claim their spots under the park's robust trees, and groups getting ready to flock to the beach and indulge on an ice-cream cornet. Everyone but the Pevensies.

Yes, Peter, the oldest of the four had decided to meet up with his younger brother and sisters on that particular weekend, for nothing more than mere window shopping. Susan scowled, "I don't know why you had to pick this particular weekend to go 'antique' shopping." She crossed her arms and glared at the group. It was obvious that she wanted to be anywhere but with her siblings. Her friend Margarita decided last minute to host a party, one which included several handsome men from her parent's acquaintances – invite-only, of course. Oh, how she wanted to meet and befriend a real gentleman, unlike her childish brothers.

Peter gave her a disapproving glare and had subconsciously stood just a little taller, like royalty. Lucy, the youngest of the four, immediately shared a look with Edmund. They both knew what that meant. Peter was all caring, loving, and incredibly loyal, but he was still infamous for his temper. He had managed to subdue and control his anger somewhat over the years whilst ruling as High King, but his sister Susan could be very trying on his nerves. One could say it was ironic, seeing as she was crowned "Queen Susan, the gentle."

"Susan," Edmund cut in before either could add any more fire to the already tense moment, "You know we need your advice and expertise in picking out mother's birthday present. Remember she loves antiques, and well, the last time Peter and I got her something, it didn't quite turn out the way we hoped," he trailed off and laughed lightly. And there it was, shining in all its glory, King Edmund, the Just. He just knew what to say at the right time. He had a rare talent for diplomacy, no doubt a culmination all the years, knowledge, and experience from when they ruled Narnia. At times Edmund wondered how his tiny brain managed to retain all that vast knowledge, but who could answer that question, but Aslan himself.

Susan's lips twitched slightly, "I remember that incident, it was a disaster. Both of you are hopeless, I suppose you do need my help."

"Do you think she would like a tea set?" Lucy asked her.

"Or perhaps a handkerchief, as a token of friendship." Edmund quipped, referencing his sister's beloved Mr. Tumnus.

Peter barked a laugh and began making googly eyes at his sister, who wanted nothing more than to disappear. "O Mr. Tumnus, Mr. Tumnus, wherefore art thou Tumnus." he recited. Lucy blushed and tried unsuccessfully to hide her inflamed cheeks. She had become fast friends with the beloved fawn in question and nothing more, but her brothers were not making the situation any easier.

"Will you three behave. You are behaving like idiots in public." Susan who believed herself the most sensible of the four was not impressed. She wondered what her friends would have thought if they saw her family acting in that manner. She would never hear the end of it. "And who exactly is this Mr. Thomas? Anything to share Lucy?" she glanced at her sister; eyebrows slightly raised.

"It's Tumnus, not Thomas. He's Peter and Edmund's friend from history enactment, or some other society, and I don't know him well. But he does look quite cute." Lucy mock glared at her brothers.

"I hope you are not corrupting dear Lucy. If I find anything out of the ordinary, I know who to look for."

"Yes mother," Peter replied, not regretting the immediate playful whack from his sister. Somehow that comment made Susan laugh. It felt familiar, even though this was the first she heard of it. Lucy smiled; Aslan was right. As the old professor once said 'Once you meet someone, you never really forget them. It just takes a while for your memory to come back to you.'

As they rounded a corner, the group came across a wooden sign that read 'Alice's Antiques: The Best Value in the British Isles'.

Peter gestured towards the store, "Shall we?" he said.

"Yes, yes. Hurry up before I regret accompanying you guys." Susan snapped impatiently.

From the outside, it appeared shabby and small, but looks can be deceiving. The interior and treasures within were chaotic yet beautiful. Countless shelves rose from the ground to meet the ceiling, jammed with assortments of all types: necklaces, teapots, dream catchers, mini ramekins, books, dolls, lamps, paintings, anything you could think of. Everything was out of place, but yet it felt like home.

While Lucy and the others searched the shelves for possible gifts, Susan's feet were planted firmly on the floor and refused to budge. Something metallic glinted in the distance, like a siren calling her home. Like clockwork, Susan found her body moving of its own accord to a secluded section at the back of the store, the trance finally broken. There on the bottom shelf was a horn, with beautiful carvings etched in the tusk, with an elegant mouthpiece. It was coated with a thin layer of dust and looked a little rusty, tucked away from the public eye, but even Susan had to admire the workmanship involved in the creation of such a beautiful object. It was a work of art. Unable to resist, she reached out and ran her fingertips over the surface and the carvings. It was surprisingly smooth and cool to the touch. When Susan held the horn in her hand, it somehow felt natural, like it was a part of her life.

"Susan," A voice called out from the middle of the room, "Which of these do you suppose we should get mother?"

Susan jolted out of her thoughts, and moved towards her siblings, the horn still clutched in her hand. For a second, she had forgotten why they were in that shop to begin with.

"Susan, what's that you have got?" Lucy exclaimed, looking extremely excited, "It looks beautiful. Are you going to purchase it?" she continued. The object Susan held, was not "The horn", but its resemblance was uncanny. Aslan's final advice to her finally hit home, 'The steps you take don't have to be big, they just have to take you in the right direction.'


	3. Classroom Encounter

"Miss Susan Pevensie," Professor Higgins huffed, "unless you can explain and solve advanced arithmetics, I must ask that you refrain from interrupting my class."

"Of course, I can." Susan rebutted before her response caught up to her. Queen Susan was never one to back away from a challenge, but right now, Susan was just normal Susan, or so she thought. Susan was terrible at arithmetics and her professor knew it.

Professor Higgins raised an eyebrow, "Really? We shall see about that," and he then proceeded to write a series of complicated equations on the board. "The stage is yours, Miss Pevensie." Only the brightest students would be able to pull it off, and the Pevensie girl was not one of them.

Arithmancy was an extremely dull subject for Susan, preferring literature, and art above all else. How anyone could stay awake was a mystery to her. Susan was known for disrupting his class, but she had never been singled out in such a manner. She grimaced, knowing full well that everyone would soon know the truth. She could hardly understand the fundamentals, let alone advanced arithmetics. This was a battle she was always going to lose.

She could hear the boys muffled laughter behind her back. Of course, the top three boys would make a spectacle of such a scene. Incensed, Susan stood up tall, with her head held high, and when she turned around her eyes were illuminated and hurled cold fire at them. Without a second thought, she strode towards the front of the board. The professor was taken back by the raw passion and confidence displayed by Miss Pevensie. Somehow, from every fiber of his body, he could not help but think that he was in the wrong.

She took the chalk in her fingers, and the board began to blur. The numbers began to float in front of her eyes and rearranged themselves like a symphony. Such strange symbols, and yet Susan knew what they meant. Her fingers and hand began to move, and before she knew it, she had answered all the questions on the board.

The professor's jaw dropped. He was speechless. She had answered every question correctly. He did not think there was any hope for Susan Pevensie and had completely given up hope, but here it was, plain as day, black and white, right in front of his eyes. She had done the impossible. Not last term, Susan was at the bottom of the pack, and here she was answering the most difficult arithmetic equations without fault. The only explanation he could surmise was that her parents must have found her a tutor, but even then, there was no way she could have improved this quickly, could there? If only he knew.

"Remarkable. Correct, on all counts." Professor Higgins replied.

Soft murmurs broke out within the classroom.

"Nice one Pevensie, you sure showed them." A female shouted from the other side of the room.

The three teenagers who dared mock her ability earlier stared at her in awe. When Susan caught their eye, they lowered their heads in shame.

Susan was out for the remainder of the class. Her thoughts drifted to a very peculiar fawn dressed in the strangest clothing and a talking hare. She was in an ancient castle of some sort, evident by the stone walls and beautiful tapestries that draped the walls. She furrowed her brow as her thoughts shifted to one of the castle rooms which was being used as a makeshift classroom. Her fellow classmates were surprise, surprise, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy. The more she analysed, the more bizarre it became. Her siblings appeared older and wiser, as if they had aged by ten years at least, and their teacher was a centaur. These glimpses, or visions as she called it, had become more frequent this year. However, Susan was not afraid. They felt welcoming, like a warm hug, or perhaps she missed the comfort of sitting by the fire rugged up in blankets with steaming cups of hot tea with her family during winter.

The rustling of papers alerted Susan that class was over, and she hurriedly packed her belongings.

"Miss Pevensie, may I have a word?" her Professor asked before she could leave.

Susan inclined her head in response.

"I was particularly impressed with your performance in class today. If you dedicate yourself to your studies, I am certain that there will be a bright future ahead."

"Thank you, Professor," she replied.

"I am curious, when did you discover such passion for arithmetics?"

Susan was lost for words and decided to take a leaf out of Lucy's book, "Mother found my siblings and I a most delightful tutor during the summer. Their methods were most enriching."

There were times when Susan failed to answer the simplest arithmetic questions on her assessments, but there were many interesting moments when she surprised her professor. Susan Pevensie was one interesting individual, and truth be told, he did not pick on her for the remainder of the term.


	4. Reunions

"Peter!" Lucy squealed and ran to hug her older brother. She had missed him, they all did. While the three of them attended boarding school, Peter was away studying under the tutelage of their favourite Professor Kirke.

Edmund and Susan joined in and promptly found themselves enveloped in a huge bear hug.

"Oomph! Let me go, I can hardly breathe" Lucy gasped, struggling to untangle her limbs from her siblings.

"I couldn't help but overhear some very interesting rumours about a certain Pevensie and her skills in archery," Peter smirked.

"You've made quite the impression, sweet sister." Edmund quipped, winking at Susan.

"Perhaps Her Majesty is looking to add one special Marksman to her Queens Guard." Peter laughed at Susan's glowering expression.

"What a charming notion. You should write to Buckingham Palace. I'm rather good with letters. Susan Pevensie, Captain of the Queens Guard. Speciality: Archery." Edmund bowed down low mockingly. He had almost said 'My Queen' but caught himself just in time.

By the end of the year, Susan had undergone a remarkable transformation. It was not perfect, but it was a start. However, Lucy could not do this alone. Her two older brothers and their cousin Eustace were more than willing to help. 'Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia.'

Susan rounded on Lucy, "This is all your fault. Now I am surrounded by idiots who worship the ground I stand upon."

Peter snorted, while Lucy failed spectacularly to stifle her laughter. If only she knew how close this was to home.

"So much for being gentle," Edmund whispered and grimaced when Lucy's elbow connected with his ribs.

"Oh, grow up! You are incorrigible." Susan glared before storming off in a temper.

"Where are you going? Eustace is arriving on the next train. Remember he is staying with us for the summer" Lucy yelled after her, whilst glaring at her brothers.

Susan huffed and made her way back to her siblings. How was she related to them?

In small doses, references to Narnia could be slipped into a conversation and seem natural, but in large doses, it could go either way. The whole process was rather draining – to know when to say something, when to pull back, when to act. Susan had come such a long way from when they first returned from Narnia. Lucy just hoped the boys would not do something drastic and unravel all their hard work.

The ringing of a shrill whistle in their ears and rumbling of the earth broke the Pevensies from their banter, and they watched as the train pulled into the platform followed by the screeching of brakes.

Amongst the commotion, Susan could hear the faint echo of a very familiar horn and found herself reminiscing her first archery class. Susan did not expect to enjoy archery as much as she did. She felt free. She was the only female brave enough to venture into the lion's den with the boys, but Susan loved every second of it. It was hard work and her muscles and fingers ached for days, but it was worth it. The thrill and drumming of energy that flowed through her entire body, from the tips of her fingertips to the ends of her toes, and the sound of the arrow hitting the centre of that bullseye was extremely satisfying. It left Susan wanting more. There were a few times when Susan's arrow would stray far from the target, but the times she hit the centre, she had embodied Queen Susan, and Queen Susan would never miss a target. It was those moments that their instructor called Susan a natural. She was no amateur. Her handling of the bow and arrow and battling stance was performed with such grace that one would call her a professional. A Marksman.

"Look! Look! It's Eustace!" Lucy tugged on Susan's arm, snapping her back to reality. Of course, Harold and Alberta would put their son in first-class, nothing less than the best for their beloved Eustace.

"Eustace! It's been way too long! Welcome back once again to dear old Finchley." Edmund hugged him.

"Oh Eustace, you have grown!" Lucy exclaimed, who was now around the same height as herself.

"Lucy and Edmund's told me all about your grand adventure. You have to tell us all about it, being kidnapped by pirates and fighting dragons." Peter whispered the last part.

Susan rolled her eyes, pirates and dragons, what a joke.

Eustace smiled at Susan, "You must be the sensible sister. I've heard all about you from Lucy and Edmund. Lovely to meet you. I believe you were away travelling in America the last time I dropped by."

Eustace had entered Narnia as a spoilt, self-centred boy, but returned a changed man. When he received Lucy's letter asking for his assistance to help their sister remember Narnia, he jumped at the opportunity to visit. It took a while to convince his parents to allow him to journey to Finchley and see his cousins during the summer break, for in a sense, they blamed the Pevensies for the unexplained anomalies in their beloved son's character. It was not the Eustace they were used to, and the change was almost too much for them to handle. The teachers of his school and his classmates however rejoiced for the very same reason. It was a miracle. Gone was the bully, and in place was a boy with impeccable manners and always happy to lend a helping hand. When people asked Eustace about the new him, he replied that he had help from a special someone and his cousins, the Pevensies. After all, they were the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.


End file.
